We all have that mate who believes the mark of a man is how much chilli he can handle. That guy aside, most of us enjoy a chilli stir fry, green curry or vindaloo from time to time.

Though, sometimes you order a dish and get more bang for your buck than you bargained for.

"When we eat chilli, there is a substance contained in them called capsaicin, and this invigorates our taste buds. Our taste buds then send a message to our brain saying 'you're burning!'," Ben Varela, Group Executive Chef at Public House Management Group told The Huffington Post Australia.

So, what's the best approach to stop the burn, fast?

Milk

"Consuming dairy is a great option because it sticks to the oily/waxy capsaicin and allows you to swallow it," said Varela.

The reason being, capsaicin dissolves in fat and oil -- so yoghurt and sour cream are also your best bet to beat the burn. Speaking of oil, if you don't have any dairy handy, then a small dose of olive or coconut oil will also do the trick. Really stuck? Try a spoonful of peanut butter.

Cucumber

"Cucumber will offer brief relief. However, it won't dissolve the capsaicin oil simply because oil and water don't mix," said Varela.

Cucumber is often served as a condiment with Asian dishes -- which is why people think it will sooth the effects of chilli -- when in reality it's intended as a palette cleanser.

Alcohol

Believe it or not, booze does help, because capsaicin dissolves in alcohol -- though your beverage would need to be fairly strong. For that reason, beer isn't the best option.

"Beer can help many things. However, once again it only offers fleeting relief from the burn," said Varela.